Shane Henderson and The Future Perfect -...

No vocalist knows how to hit us in the feels quite like Shane Henderson. He inspired in Valencia, he mourned with Promise Of Redemption, and he's movin' on through his new project, The Future Perfect. On their debut EP, Control, we hear Henderson delivering his most musically-mature tunes with a band primed for a long, healthy career.

Though not even a peep had been heard, the band's line-up announcement immediately caught eyes and ears - all knew that a trio of Henderson, Valencia touring guitarist Trevor Leonard and Fun. percussionist Will Noon would create songs as pleasing as imaginable. Soon after, "Wasting Time" came along, immediately proving our hopes true and displaying a cohesiveness reserved for the most veteran of bands. Henderson's songwriting has always been heralded, and Leonard only amplifies that talent - for every note in Shane's signature range, Trevor has a pitch-perfect harmony, as if their voices were meant to be heard together. Add Noon's tasteful drummery to the mix and you've got some real aptitude available for new sounds.

As true of his entire career, no one record from Henderson's catalog adequately describes the latest offering - think Valencia's We All Need A Reason To Believe, but bigger, refined, and more memorable on a per-song basis. Opener "Wasting Time" is the quintessential track, yet "I Can Feel A Change" will win your heart only minutes later, and only "Can We Get Away" yanks lighters into the air. The EP's flow and the affection it inspires only serve as further evidence of Henderson's songwriting, which has again matured to a new level. Though he's penned some spectacular records, The Future Perfect may own Shane's most memorable sections, especially in the title track; as the vocalist delivers "So I left you a note that said I wish you well / said it was me, so don't blame yourself," listeners will feel familiar chills - the song caps off this release as well as We All Need A Reason To Believe's "Free." And after those fantastic 16 minutes? You'll just head back for another pass at the EP to examine the quality guitarwork, the melodic intricacies, the crisp percussion, and all the other details that make Control an essential listen.

Shane's back, and he's better than ever. With two great teammates, four great songs, and an army of great fans, it'd be surprising if The Future Perfect didn't catapult right to Valencia's beloved status, especially should their band name prove true. Take Control less as a resurfacing and more as a promising introduction to a bright and perfect...future.

8.5/10

This review is a user submitted review from Jack Appleby. You can see all of Jack Appleby's submitted reviews here.

Shane Henderson is one of the few sure things in music right now. I was a little conflicted about this project, because I saw its potential success as a roadblock to a Valencia reunion, but after listening to the EP, I'm excited to hear more from them.

There are some great hooks in Wasting Time and the title track. For me, Control (song) was love at first listen. The lyrics are a bit dull and another song or two would have been nice, but otherwise, they knocked it out of the park with this first release. Well done, Future Perfect.